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eLaboratory - 4W2H Questions

The 4W2H method analyzes a topic with 6 basic questions : What, Who, Where, When, How and How much/many. And for each basic question, one may add the subsidiary question : Why?

So let's begin. Our topic is the eLaboratory or e-laboratory; eLab is often used as an abbreviation.

What is an eLaboratory?

It is basically the transposition to the Internet of the "real world" laboratory concept. The first outcome of such a transposition is that the laboratory and its content are dematerialized (some call that "virtualization").

Each eLaboratory is structured based on modules. A module may be generic or specialized. The type of a generic module is "kernel." A specialized module may be typed as a "Subject," "Group," "Item," "Test" or "Result" module. Other types of specializations will be added in the future. Any module of an eLab may share its resources with another module within the eLab or with an outsider module.

What may an eLab be used for?

An eLab is useful for the collaborative development of models (frameworks). The modeling of a framework (regarding a domain) with other specialists located anywhere in the world is the typical purpose of an eLaboratory. Besides that, the eLaboratory constitutes different types of modules and each module has its own functions. The combination of the strengths of these modules allows one to achieve very complex and large tasks e.g. to carry out a cross-cultural poll in various languages.

A basic demonstration of a minimum model (e.g., animals, cats and dogs) is available inside a demo eLaboratory under the question "Where can I find an eLaboratory?"

Who may use an eLab? Who may need it?

To be the director of a full-fledged eLab, you first need to be registered as an "identified participant" of this community. An "identified participant" is a member who has accepted to provide some personal information (real name, affiliation, research domain, etc). You should also explain why you need a private eLaboratory. The purpose here is not to be utmostly inquisitive but rather to check the validity of the demand in order to spare the resources of the Server Farm of the University of Luxembourg where the eLab engine is hosted. A "full-fledged eLab" (opposite of a "naked eLab") is integrated with the rest of the social-issues.org platform allowing automated data exchange between your eLab and the private forum, your blog, and so on.

In Luxembourg. At the EMACS (Educational Measurement and Applied Cognitive Science) research unit of the University of Luxembourg.

When can you access an eLab?

Usually, whenever you want... except if an heavy demand is foreseen on the Server Farm (e.g. during the monitoring of schools of Luxembourg when a few thousands students are taking exams at the scheduled time). A calendar will be available on the Community website regarding this matter.

How is an eLab functioning?

eLabs are developed on top of a generic and versatile ontology engine named GeneriSSSS (Generis4, Generic Information System, Shape, Share and Store the knowledge). Internally, Generis manages RDF resources and offers a graphical user interface through which the users can create a web of semantically connected concepts.

How do you start to use an eLaboratory?

If you have an access to one or more eLabs (as a director, as a member of the eLab team or as a guest), the links to directly access those labs will be displayed in the left menu when you are logged in (authentication).

How many collaborators are allowed to access an eLab simultaneously?

This is only limited by the physical strength of the servers.

How many modules may you use in an eLab? How many resources are allowed in a module at maximum?

This is only limited by the physical strength of the servers, but most of the users of an eLab manage less than 10 modules.

How much time may an eLaboratory remain inactive before being archived or dissolved?

If you are registered as a identified participant of the Community and have an access to a full-fledged eLab, we can protect your data from automatic reset. Otherwise, no backup action is guaranted.

Okinawa 2 (I love Okinawa)

I visited Okinawa last month. Okinawa hosts 74 % of the U.S. bases on 0.6 % of the land. Despite overwhelming opposition, the Japanese government is taking the lead in efforts to build a new U.S. military base in Henoko Bay, emphasizing the deterrence value of the U.S. bases in Japan. Our policy makers want to proceed with the construction "shuku shuku to (calmly and solemnly)."
It is shockingly mindless and undemocratic to disregard the Okinawans' will. Here are some of useful websites on anti-U.S. base acitivities and protests (see the Japanese version – four of eleven sites are in English).

[[http:www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/17/national/politics-diplomacy/economics-u-s-base-redevelopment-sway-okinawa-mindset/#.VWg8NFIppf6|Japan Times Journal]]

Looking at Flaws in the Henoko Landfill Permit Process from the Standpoint of the Right to Self-determination

[[http:japanfocus.org/events/view/250|Japan Focus Journal]]

Kitano Takeshi’s Elementary Schools and Japanese Schools in Benin

About three months ago, I wrote a blog article on the children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic in Malawi and the importance of education as a critical instrument for social and economic development (or human development). Admittedly, what I wrote may be too crazy or too utopian to be realized.
But, we humans sometimes think alike. By chance, I learned about a Japanese guy who has already put the similar ideas into practice. That is Mr. Takeshi Kitano (Beat Takeshi)! What?! Is he an activist beside being a filmmaker and a comedian?According to these Youtube, Takeshi Kitano used to have a TV show called “This is what is strange about the Japanese people.” A hundred foreigners living in Japan were invited to voice their observations about weird and negative aspects of Nihon. One of the guests was Mr. Zomahoun Idossou Rufin (known as Zomahon), from the Republic of Benin in West Africa.

That was how Zomahon met Takeshi twelve years ago or so. With the help of Takeshi, Zomahon built four schools in his country including Takeshi’s Elementary School and Takeshi Japanese School.

In the school lunch program in Benin, according to Takeshi, it costs 25 yens (about 25 cents in the USA) and there are kids who can afford it and those who cannot afford it. “It is cruel that those kids have to watch the others eating.” So, they have established a sort of child sponsorship. Becoming a sponsor, a supporter in Japan receives a photograph of the child and vice versa, and that’s how they make a bond of friendship.

In their elementary schools, they provide free education and free lunch for kids. They also help the local people to grow agricultural products. Among the graduates from these schools, those who have mastered the language are sent to Japan, trained to be medical doctors and other professionals, and they work in Japan for certain years. They eventually return to Benin and work for their country.

"Suppose, some kids succeed in graduating from universities and become important one day. It is cool if s/he visits Japan to meet a person who has treated to lunches, isn't it?,” Beat Takeshi remarks.

In Youtube, you will see that some Beninese graduates prostrate themselves on the ground to show their gratitude. Humble Takeshi seems to get self-conscious and in order to hide that, he makes a joke, “Zomahon sometimes does the same thing when we meet. And, it makes me look bad like a bully!”